Minority and Majority Reports (Symbol)
Minority and majority reports are made from predictions of mutants; from the outset, there are three reports, but those with the greatest overlap produce the majority report, another one is the minority report. The majority here symbolizes undeniable truth of the future which cannot be changed (according to the result of this report the potential perpetrator is sent to the detention camp), but there is also a minority report which is not taken into account, it symbolizes the alternative version of the future that might take place, that is why Anderton is looking for the minority report – to prove that he is not a potential murderer and he has a choice and free will, no matter what the majority report says.
Precognition (Allegory)
In the story, mutants called precogs predict the human intention to commit a crime, these potential perpetrators are sent to detention camps, but the point is that they may never commit the crime even though they were thinking of it, precognition may be false sometimes and there are different factors which can influence our choice. The precognition in the story has the allegoric meaning of something fatal, that cannot be changed, it puts people into frames, makes them act in a particular way and perceive all events in their life as something predicted long ago, without the right to change something.
Fear (Motif)
Anderton was afraid to lose his job, because he was old and his new assistant is young and enthusiastic, that is why he underlines his position and that he is not going to retire: “you are going to be my assistant until I retire. Which may be this year, or next year – or ten years from now”, - he says to Witwer. And his fear to lose the position gives him bravery to kill Kaplan in order to prove that his system works and he deserves what he got. Kaplan was afraid that his authority was lost forever – he was just an old retired general and soon he will be forgotten. But he doesn’t want it – he can’t live without power, so he will do everything to achieve it. It is unbelievable and paradoxical how fear strengthen people, makes them brave and strong.
Ambitions (Motif)
Ambitions run the world. Our desires make us move forward, adapt to different people and situations in order to achieve the goal of life. Anderton murders his foe to keep his job and reputation, Kaplan wants to destroy the whole punitive system to be in charge again and Witwer removes Anderton gives a command to arrest his former boss without a shadow of regret. The ambitions of these men are huge and they are ready to do everything to fulfill them.
